USS Monterey, a 4084-ton monitor built at San Francisco, California, was commissioned in February 1893. She spent her early service years operating along the west coasts of North and South America. During the Spanish-American War, she was sent to the Philippines to reinforce U.S. forces there and participated in the final campaign against Manila.

Following the 1898 war, Monterey was stationed in the Philippines and off China until November 1917, when she was transferred to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She decommissioned there in August 1921 and was sold the following year.